


The secrets in the blood.

by Dylina



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Car Sex, Clothed Sex, Creampie, Exhibitionism, Fireworks, Frottage, Human/Vampire Relationship, M/M, New Year's Eve, Nipple Piercings, Outdoor Sex, Tattoos, Vampire Bites, Vampire Ferdinand von Aegir, Vocal coaching, ferdibert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:48:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28450428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dylina/pseuds/Dylina
Summary: I decided to start the New Year with a new vampire story, this time featuring Ferdinand as a vampire. It is New Year's Eve and an anti-social and awkward Hubert von Vestra has been invited to Edelgard's party. He doesn't know anyone, nor does he want to get to know anyone.This is the first chapter with many more to come. I promise that there will be plenty of horniness.Modern AU
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Inviting Hubert to any social function was problematic, especially when the occasion was a celebration wekcoming the arrival of another year. He brought with him a certain gravitas, a sobriety to alcoholic reverie like an undertaker attending a baby shower. In every manner he had the appearance of a stereotypical undertaker in that he wore black, black and more black with a little more black on top of all that black. One could imagine his wardrobe being darker than a bottomless pit. Edelgard frowned as she observed Hubert enter with the dramatic poise of a soldier marching into a blood soaked battlefield. His face was devoid of any merriment. Of course she did not expect him to wear an insincere expression but at least he could make an effort to not be as imposing.

"Hubert, I am glad you came. I honestly though you would find an excuse not to come. " She gave him a kiss on both cheeks. Hubert remained devoid of friendliness, stern and rigid. He did not even lean into the affectionate greeting.

"You desired me here so I came." Hubert's speech seemed a bit flat next to the scintillating wit and effervescent sparkle of some of her other guests, such as the charming Ferdinand von Aegir .

"I am grateful for your attendance. Please try and enjoy yourself. I cannot force you to have fun, nor can I make you socialise. I know that you don't know anyone here but try and mingle." Hubert could be as stubborn as a bull but she was as stubborn as an entire herd. She knew how to motivate Hubert, often it required persistence .

"I will try." Hubert was bothered by his lack of knowledge about his fellow occupants. Normally he fully researched the people he engaged with, that way he could be a puppeteer pulling the marionette strings of emotions. It already felt claustrophobic, with strange sweaty bodies carousing together, mindless chatter, faux laughter clogging the airwaves and a masquerade of intoxicated smiles under harsh paraselene festive lighting.

Edelgard strolled away leaving a trail of red satin in her shadow. Hubert observed her hourglass silhouette merge with the mass until she was invisible. Her misbegotten plan to force Hubert to socialise had been left for him to fix. The frown remained as the sensation of being an ugly duckling out of water remained. Everyone here appeared to be swans dancing on crystal lakes, with Edelgard as the fairest of them all. Damn, he cursed himself for forgetting to compliment her elegant slip dress.

If he crept outside and absconded without socialising would Edelgard notice? There was plenty to distract her, surely she would forget all about him as she buried herself in the festivities. No one knew him so there would be no one reporting his absence. It was decided, he was going to escape with all the indifference of someone going to the toilet.

His eyes poured over the room at the superficially smiling two faced elite shaking hands and making merry. All of them had treacherous tongues hidden behind their teeth and knives in the shape of words ready to stab in the back. Vermin, all of them, vile and repulsive as they gorged on excess and indulged in the pleasure of the flesh. The stale whiff of intoxication was in the air, if the scent was bottled it would be called greed.

The plan was flawless as long as he followed it down to the last detail, deviance would result in failure. No one seemed to notice him nor did they care, he was just a smudge of nothing on a meagre cheque. Money, sex or influence; he had none so he wasn't worth getting their greasy hands on. To become one of them was part one of the perfect plan. His mouth needed to be buttoned so his feeling didn't slip out and a shield placed over his eyes to conceal his inner depths. A smile was a bullet proof mask to make him seem like he belonged in the parade of phonies. Any questions or introductions that were fired in his direction would be deflected by pleasantries. In one hand was a drink that he pretended to sip, clarity was paramount to his scheme. The other hand was the curl of greeting, ready to engage in shaking if he had no other option.

On the periphery of conversations he lurked, pretending to be a part, nodding but not listening to the bullshit. If someone took a photo he would look like he was one of the horde. He passed the buffet table and made a mental note of what was on offer. If Edelgard queried his liking of the food then he would be able to give her a convincing answer. All the while he listened, picked a few names, just in case he was asked who he had talked to.

10 minutes later he slipped away like time when eyes were not on the clock. The corridor was empty, he chose not to linger, if anyone asked where he was going, he would craft an excuse about trying to find the restroom. A hand rested on his stomach as he hunched forward slightly, forming the posture of someone desperate for a piss. If they thought he was in dire need of relief then they wouldn't interrogate him with conversation.

Fresh air slapped him in the face as he left the building. He was glad to feel it turning his cheeks red. All that was left to do was cross the car park and drive away. Success was close enough to taste! The gravel crunched beneath his feet but he was unconcerned by the noise. Inside there was enough music and conversation to drown out what was happening outside.

He pressed a button on his key and the car unlocked upon his command. Finally he could let his faux smile fade, his jaw had begun to ache. The door was opened and he slipped inside; effortless, brilliant, his ego was soaring. Now to start the car…

"Halt there you fiend! I saw you prowling around like a fox eying it's quarry." Boom came an accusing tone banging his eardrums. The passenger's seat was occupied by another man, Hubert's escape had been foiled. "Pray tell, what have you stolen? Hand it over and there won't be a problem. "

His senses were hostile as they reeled from the overload this man presented him with; a heavenly aroma of honey with a cornucopia of sybarite's sweetness, a choir of a voice which could shatter his ears and the image of an angel draped in gold. Where had his composure gone? Hubert would have normally been able to think on his feet and thrive in adversity however attraction held him hard and there was no escape from the irresistible grasp.

"Are you excusing me of stealing?" He forced words out of his mouth and they turned out more raspy than intended. Hubert adjusted himself in his seat as he eyed up the glove compartment , a gun sealed within. The golden man noticed the direction of his gaze and reacted instantly. With greater physical strength Hubert was pushed into his leather seat, the silhouette embossed the fabric. No amount of squirming or struggling would remedy the situation, he was held in place by a muscular arm.

"Do you have a licence for this weapon?" The stranger held the gun with the confidence of a soldier accustom to holding dangerous items. His honeycomb eyes burnt with embers of determination and suspicion.

"Of course I do, I am not some random ruffian." From raspy to a hiss, Hubert's voice had fallen victim of his failure. What annoyed him the most was sounding like an overreacting thespian ruining a play. In his wallet was a licence with a rather embarrassing photo. He removed the wallet from his inner jacket pocket and tossed it in the stranger's direction.

"Hubert von Vestra!" The stranger pronounced his name with a flamboyant vibrato. "Edelgard has mentioned you. If I remember correctly, you are involved in the music industry." With each passing moment the situation grew increasingly troublesome . Hubert found it disquieting that the stranger was informed about him but he was utterly clueless about the stranger.

"I will answer your question in exchange for a name." Hubert needed to shift the discomfort , so far his mind had failed to figure out an escape route. For now he was fumbling in the dark with a handsome stranger. Heat rose within him turning his shirt into a sauna. One tug at his collar and he ripped open the top button. Loosening his collar provided little relief.

"Ferdinand." The initial accusing tone had softened into a song. Hark; he had the voice of angels in a mortal form. A transformation from a stern expression to a softer , welcoming smile stirred something within Hubert; butterflies swarmed in his heart.

"To say that I am involved in the music industry is grandiose, way too grandiose." Hubert spoke softly, careful not to stumble over his words, even more diligent at selecting them. "I am nothing more than a humble voice coach"

"You teach people how to sing?" Ferdinand sounded rather excited, his eyes shone with delight. "Do you perform?"

Hubert scratched the back of his head, a dweeb like awkwardness possessed him with his numerous insecurities. His heart wanted to impress the handsome man, live up to the expectations in his dazzling eyes, his fear of not reaching the peak could paralyzed him. "Yes, though some may not call what I do singing."

Ferdinand's eyes just ignited with further intrigue. "Oh? Now I am simply fascinated. Is it possible to perform for me?"

Why was he nervous? He had performed in front of audiences in the hundreds before but singing in front of beautiful Ferdinand was the definition of 'stage fright'. Would any sound come out? He feared that he would look a fool with his lips moving with silence as his voice. Out his voice came, thunder crushing silence, a murderous rampage of a demon on birdsong and a machine gun massacre of gentleness; raw and untamed, unashamed ugliness and obnoxiously brutal was his death growl. Ferdinand listened agope, stunned, breathlessly so.

"That was...that was…" Ferdinand was flustered with cheeks blushing in cherry shades. "Incredibly hot."

Hubert felt the need to clean out his ears. Had his death growl just been complimented by an elegant gentleman? He searched the words for sarcasm and sincerity over and over, after his intense scrutiny he came to the conclusion that the remarks were genuine. "Would you like to listen to some more?"

Ferdinand rubbed his head as he gazed down to the gun and back to Hubert in a loop for several minutes. "You are trying to distract me. I came out here to see why you were sneaking around suspiciously. Answer me!"

He doubted that Ferdinand wouldn't relent on the matter. If he wished to avoid staying at a stalemate for the rest of the night he needed to give an acceptable and convincing statement. "I loathe social functions where the chief ambition is intoxication and the topic of conversation is superficial nonsense. People being nice," he lengthen the pronunciation of ' nice's into a hiss of distain, "I hate it. My ' sneaking around suspiciously ' was part of my escape plan, a plan I devised with utmost care and attention to avoid detection and to exit without hurting Edelgard's feelings."

Ferdinand couldn't help but burst out laughing. Hubert spoke like a supervillian telling his ingenious plan to take over the world to a superhero. The hiss, the deep velvety depth and the dramatic pauses were classic evil guy. "You hate people being nice? You are a grouchy one. Normally I would bypass partypoopers but with you I will make an exception."

There was a fire between, Ferdinand was ablaze with his attraction. His smothering eyes ignited with ember sparks which undressed Hubert with deliberate softness as he bit his lip. From the proud jawline his eyes ventured down the long snakelike neck to the top button. Mentally he slid each button through their corresponding hole, imagining the slim chest beneath. What colour were his nipples? Ferdinand hoped that they were pink and cute, just like two little marshmallows. His eyes lingered upon his stomach, visualising toying with the bellybutton.

Tantalising, tempting; Ferdinand's appetites were insurmountable, no amount of etiquette training, nor convention could restrain him. "I will turn your death growl into howls of pleasure." One way to get what he wanted was to just take it and that was exactly what he did. He grabbed Hubert by the collar and lunged into a kiss. Hubert barely had time to react as Ferdinand shot a missile of tongue into his mouth. The tongue was rampant, tracing every tooth and sampling every flavour, no part was left untouched. Hubert's hands were stuck in limbo, uncertain were to be. Should they grab, grapple or stroke and where should the action take place?

Clothing? What clothing? Ferdinand ripped off his white silk shirt to reveal a sight which made Hubert drool. Hubert was not usually a prisoner to lust but he simply couldn't keep his mouth shut, nor dry. All the rippling muscle was there for him to feast upon, eyes, hands and mouth. Those pectoral muscles deserved to be squeezed as though they were juicy plums ripe for plucking.

Clothing? What clothing? Ferdinand unfastened buttons with quick fingers before thrusting the shirt open like the curtains on the first act of an erotic play. His quick fingers transformed to rapid hands as he explored every inch of slim, sinuous and barely defined muscle. "You don't know how badly I want to ravish you. Every part of you will be mine. I will make you feel unlimited pleasure, pleasure that will make you beg and declare your love."

Was he hearing things? What had been said was unreal but divine. Hubert wished every single word was the truth. It was not normal for people to find him attractive. He was grim, dismal, sickly pale and slender; hardly someone who was conventionally gorgeous. On his lap, caging him in thick meaty tights as an absolute Adonis. This had to be a trick! Gorgeous man did not molest guys like him.

The complete removal of Hubert's shirt was achieved as Ferdinand pulled the fabric over his bony shoulders and down his skinny arms. His attention was drawn to a variety of tattoos and piercings. "Mmm, I like body decor." He threaded his fingers through the silver nipple rings and pulled. "If you are a bad boy I will attach a leash to these."

Blink...blink… Now Hubert was certain he was dreaming. A beautiful man was ravishing him and suggesting the most delightful, kinky things; the stuff that only seemed to exist in he most erotic of his dreams. He tried to maintain clarity but arousal disrupted any coherent thoughts as Ferdinand's tongue played with his nipple ring, flicking and sucking it.

Something sharp pierced his skin, blood trickled in abundance, a downpour of crimson. "Look what a dirty mouth I have." Ferdinand sounded different, more animalistic than previously , a pur was distinct between his words. Hubert's eyes widened as Ferdinand lifted his head to reveal two murderous fangs with a dagger point and lips painted in his blood. He should be screaming, Hubert knew he should be batting the beastly man straddling him like a bug but he was defenceless. Everything in his line of vision was a smudge with the exception of Ferdinand's achingly hot body. This disorientation of vision accompanied a clouding of the mind, the sensation of being under a devious spell. Enchanted by the seductive promises of pleasure, he was nothing more than a chew toy to be used. Ferdinand licked and sucked at the wound, deep rumbles of satisfaction resonated from the depths of his throat.

Hubert trembled uncontrollably as slow fangs traced the outline of his moth silhouette tattoo positioned just over his heart, down to the menacing ladders and infinite doors on his stomach. There was little space to move without contact with the stirring wheel but Ferdinand managed to seamlessly weave his body into impossible positions. His effortless contortions meant there was no waiting time between pleasures, sensation built upon sensation unto overload was achieved. The arms were the next destination for devouring, nips were dotted over his slim biceps. Sinister ladders, foreboding door, a deathly moth and reaching up the bicep and over the shoulder was a textured sanguine moon, Hubert certainly had an interesting array of tattoos. Was there a meaning to them? Ferdinand considered Hubert thoughtful and deep, he did not seem the type of person to get a tattoo for the sake of it, unless he craved the pain.

Ferdinand wrestled with zips and waistband, a bothersome endeavour which nearly broke one of his luminous nails, in order to grab cock. There was no subtlety nor refinement in the manner he grappled the cock out into the open. With firm handling he touched the sensitive heads together and combined the arousal secretion into a shared cocktail. Breathless pants kept his unnecessary respiratory system functioning as he buried the coarse sounds into Hubert's throat.

"Oh Ferdinand!" The name was a prayer to the essence of pleasure. More, more and more, it was still not enough. Hubert yearned to be taken to the edge, the borderline where ecstasy and agony were the same. In his vast vocabulary there was only one word for every definition; "Ferdinand."

Upon the neck a plunge of fang penetrated the skin so that more red nectar would pour. Ferdinand was gluttony personified, gorging on more blood than his senses could take. His bloodshot eyes were wide with wildness as he gazed at the crators on Hubert's pale flesh. As he fed in gulps his neck swelled and shrunk in exaggerated motions. The sound resembled someone necking a beer in a speed drinking competition.

The world swirled in amazing technicolor light as all his independent thinking dimished. Ferdinand wanted him hallucinating from overstimulation, and he knew how to manipulate a body to satisfy his desires. His hands continued to massage cocks together, they were reminiscent of two flints being struck to start a fire. Hubert did not just feel like a fire, but he was a blazing inferno, screaming as he burnt whilst feeling everything and nothing simultaneously.

Every single vein pulsed through he skin, begging to be the next to be devoured. A independent heartbeat seemed to be embedded in each limbs, the electricity of bliss connected them. Ferdinand withdrew his fangs and smeared bloody kisses on Hubert's lips. The metallic taste of his blood did little to awaken him from Ferdinand's spell. There was no escape, Ferdinand was taking him to the edge of a cliff and pushing him into an ocean of tingling ecstasy.

The edge was drawing near, Hubert's stomach tightened and his stringy thighs trembled in expectation. To breathe was a hard task, every breath was a moan and every moan was a noose choking him. His throat felt so tight that it could explode at any moment. The friction between the two cock increased as Ferdinand rubbed with greater determination. It was time for the sensual release of orgasm, Ferdinand considered the big O as a reward for the generous amount of blood he had plundered.

Ferdinand performed snake slithers in rhythm with his hands. His hips were like clay on a potter's wheels turning and forming elegant poses. Revitalised and empowered by blood, there was no better sensation for a vampire. He hummed and purred to show Hubert how satisfied he was, a delicate song rarely sang from his vampiric lips. A few last deep inhalation were taken by Hubert before he trickled cum onto Ferdinand's cock. Ferdinand caressed his cheeks as his eyelids fell shut and his body melted into the moment.

"You were delicious Hubert. I will definitely visit your neck again." Ferdinand lifted his head and listened to the distance chime of church bells. It was midnight and another year was in it's infancy . "Happy New Year Hubert. My suggestion for a resolution is to increase the iron, calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Now I have your scent I can always find you, always." Ferdinand grinned as he turned to face the windscreen , his eyes reflected the colours of nearby fireworks. Hubert just buried his face in the silky drapery of his hair and slumped into restful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not know who I feel sorry for; Edelgard or Hubert.

A stretch and amble fresh air; Edelgard needed to indulge in both to recover from the excess of the previous night. Normally she was restrained, fully in control of her urges but after one sip of wine she had become a glutton. No pastry was safe, she gorged delicious treat after delicious treat until her stomach begged her to cease. In the morning the sickly feeling of being bloated and bellyache were impossible to shift. Outside the grand entrance to her home she stood in the doorway deeply inhaling. The crisp morning air blew away any lingering drowsiness, fully welcoming her to the waking world. It felt good to fill her body with something positive rather than sugary offerings. Her lungs were cleared, ready to exhale the previous year and take in the new. In a fluffy night robe she stretched out her slender limbs, ready to embrace all the future had to bestow upon her.

Once she was revitalised by the morning she started to stroll across her driveway, the gravel crunched beneath her cat shaped slippers. Her eyes lazily drifted over the cars of her guests, most had been too intoxicated to drive home in the early hours. Nothing caught her eye until she came across Hubert's vehicle. She was shocked to see someone within. At first it was a faint outline of her friend slumped back asleep in the driver's seat. As she drew nearer she could just detect an expression. To her surprised she saw the biggest, silliest grin. She had never seen him with anything remotely similar on his face. She started to worry that he had stretched his mouth too wide that it had become stuck. Closer still, she noticed a stain upon his lips, a bit like lipstick. Had Hubert had a secret rendezvous in the dead of night. Edelgard felt excited to hear about anything which could leave such a smile on a person's lips.

"Oh my goodness!" Edelgard had to divert her eyes as she noticed Hubert's state of undress. His shirt was open, red lip prints and lovebites clear for all to see. That was not the biggest affront to her eyes. Embarrassingly his trousers and undergarments were halfway down his thighs exposing a very private region. What if the local children witnessed such a disturbing sight? She had no choice but to intervene

Thud! Thud! "For fucks sake Hubert, wake up" She banged on the car window as hard as she could. An awkward shift in position and a deep throaty grown indicates that she had been successful at rousing him from rest. "Sort yourself out before you address me." It was unusual for Edelgard to be flustered, blushing until her face was tomato red, but Hubert had managed such a miracle. Surely a person dressed themselves appropriately after sexual activity. Hubert was the epitome of the inappropriate.

Hubert fidgeted further until he yawned into an awakening stretch. Sleepy eyes rested upon Edelgard's elegant back and the fine silk drapery of her recently combed hair. "Mmuuurrrrr" The incoherent rumble was the nearest to a sentence he could produce at this stage of morning routine. A stretch upwards of his arms resulted in him hitting his knuckles on the car roof. "Ahhhh fuck!" He cursed beneath his breath as he rubbed his sore hands. His eyes gazed across at the empty passenger's seat at the glove compartment open and his gun with the appropriate licence in the seat. Images of the previous night came to him in flashbacks; that heavenly prime steak of a body, the cocktail of cum poured by two, and the scarring kissing. He could not help but feel wonderful. It was a blissful uplift of his spirits, as he wallowed in the memories.

Suddenly realisation hit him like a thunderbolt. He looked down at his bloody wounded chest and his fully exposed cock. At first he was frozen, everything moved in slow motion; Edelgard had seen his bloodshed as well as his cum stained body and clothing along with an unmentionable part of his anatomy. How utterly embarrassing! Hubert cringed as the weight of his humiliation made him shrink to the size of a jellybaby. Horror! Nightmare! Disaster! If he did not stop thinking in exclamation marks then he would never solve his dilemma. Operation recovery was in the process of being devised.

Problem number 1: Edelgard was outside his car, her eyes diverted from his person due to his state of undress. The solution was simple; tuck the cock away and fasten his shirt. Soon he had concealed his chest, the first step to appearing normal. Putting his cock away had more issues than manhandling a few stubborn buttons. He had to touch his cock and it was as hard and as imposing as an obelisk. Damn that Ferdinand! He had him in disarray, never before had he been shamefully abashed. Even as he grabbed his shaft and shoved his cock unceremoniously into his underwear he could feel the bittersweet throb of yearning. Was he an addict after just one night of extraordinary pleasure? The numbness he felt in his limbs after returning to normality was a symptom of such an affliction.

Problem number 2: He wore more blood than aftershave. If he passed a cop he would definitely be stopped and questioned. Hubert reached for his pocket tissues and used his spittal as an adequate face wash. After he did not resemble a butcher at a slaughterhouse he could focus on the final conundrum…

Problem number 3: Edelgard; she had caught him vulnerable and exposed. How in hell was he going to explain himself? This task was going to require all of his cunning. Firstly he should attempt some sort of apology, shame even. He cleared his throat, rued his inability to look at her directly and spoke with a surprising composure which belied his emotional wreckage.

"Sorry you got to see that. I hope I did not put you off your breakfast. It is okay to turn now. I am presentable."

Edelgard turned with her hands as a face mask. With her fingers split in tiny V shapes cracks she peeked out at Hubert. A sigh accompanied her uncertain gaze as she let her hands drop beside her waist. Another sigh formed a mist which soon drifted into nothing.

"It seems that my attempt to encourage you to socialise was fruitful. I have to admit I did not expect any success, aside from a few snide remarks to my guests. I half expected to find you frowning and sulking in a corner."

Edelgard was teasing him, the jesting laugh was undeniable, as was the wry grin. It was rare anyone had the opportunity to have fun at his expense. His childhood friend had better milk the moment because he would not be caught with his trousers down again. He slid the gun back into the glove compartment before he retrieved his wallet. He exited the car as smoothly as possible, trying to hide the ache of pleasure in his veins. Ferdinand's lips were still present, they haunted the lovewounds he had gratefully received. Hubert could not stop himself stroking the impression they had made.

"Half expecting mmmm, the condition of the human race is perfectly defined by half expectations. Humans fall into two catagories: optimism tainted with disappointment, or pessimism coloured by hope."

Distraction was futile, Edelgard knew the sly underbelly of her friend well. Of course he would try to change the subject and slither out of giving her any details about his passionate night. It was page number one of the Hubert handbook of manipulation.

"Save your philosophical musing for another time. It is too early to try and pluck the tapestry of humanity. My head aches just thinking about it. Come now, I will pour us coffee and we can have a little chat."

Hubert watched as she stubbornly thwarted his diversion tactic. In fact she had deflected his attempt with ease and indifference. He would have to try something else or admit defeat. One blink and she was already halfway across the gravel driveway before he could respond. With his hands buried in his pockets, reminiscent of a naughty child, he slowly trailed her. At least the walk gave him time to collect his thoughts and build new walls around his emotions.

Black coffee, his personal favourite, as bitter and as strong as possible with enough caffeine to awaken the dead. Hubert accepted the generous hospitality and seated himself at a large oak dining table. Caffeine; it was his ambrosia, his life source and his superpower, nothing was impossible after a few slips. Edelgard seated herself opposite, leaning forwards in girlish excitement.

"Who was it? I am dying to know. No, scrap that, I must know who could make you smile like that. Honestly they must be a magician. Anyway I forbid you from keeping such intriguing things secret."

Edelgard squeaked with a voice similar to an excited mouse with a whole packet of cheese to devour. Her eyes had formed spotlights and they honed in on him with an relentless glare.

"I hate to disappoint you but I was having a wank."

Hubert was surprised by his capability to say things with a straight face. Clearly Edelgard was not convinced, the scrunched up facial expression indicates such things. Another tactic of Hubert's was to change the topic of discussion by saying something truly awkward that further conversation could be impossible to endure.

"You witnessed my wank face."

"Do you normally forget to sheath your sword after battle?"

Edelgard was not deterred by his obvious attempt to throw her off the trail. She would pick apart his argument until he yielded.

"What about the red marks and the love bites? Don't tell me you bit yourself before wearing lipstick and kissing your own face. To perform such a feat you must be a contortionist."

Was it time to admit defeat? Edelgard had outsmarted him, she knew him too well. Telling her might not be as bad as he imagined. She wasn't a gossip so anything he said would be kept between them. Her mild teasing wasn't awful, even if he preferred not to be on the receiving end.

"I had the company of Ferdinand von Aegir."

Edelgard nearly spat out her coffee when she heard the name. Normally refined in expression and moderate in reaction, Hubert's confession had caught her completely off guard.

"Ferdinand von Aegir! Really?"

She instantly covered her mouth as she realised how rude she sounded.

"Let me apologise, my voice went too high, soo high that only dogs could hear me. It is just, well…" She hesitated slightly, carefully selected her words to avoid offence. " Ferdinand is opposite to you in every way imaginable. He is the life and soul of the party whilst you have the talent of turning a party into a funeral procession."

Hubert chuckled softly at her comparison, she had hit the mark fairly well. "I cannot argue with that. For one night the sun and moon united. I will spare you the intimate details but he pursued me. He came on to me." It was Hubert's turn to sound surprised . The unbelievable had been real, a beautiful man had seduced him. A tiny smile formed as a new born confidence filled him. Desirability, no one had made him feel such things before. He was accustomed to being shunned but Ferdinand had made him feel special, important, sexy and so much more.

"Awww Hubie I am soo happy for you. With your smile and the shine in your eyes you are radiating a different aura; warmth." Edelgard gripped his cup holding hands tightly, excitedly . "So are you going to meet again?"

Hubert jumped at the sudden contact. Being touched wasn't something that happened often. Normally he liked to maintain distance, to create a barrier of personal space.

"He said that he would find me." Hubert realised how unusual that sounded, normally he was the one in control. This time he was at the beck and call of a beautiful man. Secretly he wanted to call him, to flirt and be ravished again. His patience had been eroded to an inner longing. Later he would search for him on social media. "How do you know Ferdinand?"

"I used to play polo with him. He was very competitive, declaring me his polo nemesis. At times I wanted to stab him with my spurs." Edelgard seemed amused by the memory, a tale from her youth which she actually recalled with fondness. For most of her youth she had been hospitalised, undergoing experimental procedures for her rare genetic disorder. She had come out the other side stronger with a determination to stay healthy and be successful in every venture.

"Was he that obnoxious?" Hubert raised a querying brow.

"Obnoxious is a little harsh, he was annoying though. Compared to other people he was endlessly positive and bright. I had never met anyone who met defeat with the enthusiasm to improve."

Hubert could see how having someone with a positive outlook could enlighten his life. He was a pessimist, a tainted, brooding sceptic with a tongue tinted with derision, perhaps he needed someone to brighten up his gloom more than he realised. One night with Ferdinand and he already felt blessed. Edelgard couldn't stop herself giggling as Hubert gazed dreamily to the ceiling and sighed happily. These nuances were completely foreign to the grim vocal coach.

"I never expected to call you cute Hubert, but the way you are acting is cute. It is refreshing."

"Cute! I am not acting cute, not even close. I am acting perfectly normal." Blushing was yet another rarity from his night with Ferdinand. Hubert tried to fight back the heat in his cheeks, he even fetched himself a glass of water to cool himself. Edelgard's laughter was birdsong sung by a parrot mocking him.

"Don't be embarrassed, it is nice to see. Next you will be skipping down the road, listening to love songs on the radio." Edelgard managed to compose herself, it was unfair to tease for too long, despite never normally having the opportunity to.

"I don't think so. If you see me skipping or listening to love songs then you have permission to shoot me." Hubert caught a glimpse of himself in the reflection on the metal sink. He frowned as he saw thick dark rims around puffy eyes and red swollen cheeks making him look sickly pale in contrast. " I need to get home and change. I smell repulsive. Thank you for inviting me to your celebration. "

The pair exchanged packs in the cheeks and a brief embrace.

"I am glad you came. Happy New Year!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Firstly I apologise for the dog and bone pun. 
> 
> Secondly; enjoy sex in the park.

"Relax your shoulders." Hubert purred in a hypnotic tone, a soothing, soft voice which verged on a breathy whisper. "Sigh deeply and slacken." He gave Ashe's tense shoulder muscles a light squeeze until they fell upon command. "You are doing very well. Now place a hand on your heart and another on your stomach. You want to feel your diaphragm working." He was gentle as he rested his client's hands in the desired positions. 

At present he was in the process of giving personal vocal coach tuition on his client's property. Before a single sound was made, he believed in teaching a range of breathing techniques to strengthen the diaphragm and relax the body, including the mouth which would be required to form the correct shapes. "When you breathe, the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles around the lungs decrease in size. When you inhale the diaphragm takes on a heavy workload, shrinking so that the lungs can expand into the extra space and let in the appropriate amount of air."

Patience, Hubert had it in abundance when he was teaching. No question was foolish, it was only foolish when someone did not understand something and remained silent. He strolled with a causal calmness, offering sincerity and the reassurance of eye contact when needed. "Ideally you want your stomach to expand and your chest to remain relatively still. Breathe through your nose for 2 seconds." Hubert's hand hovered just above Ashe's so he could feel if he was breathing correctly. "Excellent." Praise and encouragement were essential confidence facilitators . Ashe was made to feel special, as though he was the only thing that mattered. Hubert ensured that he had the entirety of his attention. 

"Imagine you are drinking through a straw and position your lips accordingly. Now when you exhale form this position with your lips and gently press on your stomach. Inhale through your nose, 1...2 and exhale through the straw, 1...2. Let us repeat the exercise a few times. Inhale 1...2 and exhale 1...2. Do you feel the tightening? You are strengthening your respiratory system, preparing to perform using your diaphragm." Hubert made a low, long growl which seemed to rumble from the bowels of hell.

"I hope to be able to make sounds like that." Ashe gasped in awe, "I did not expect my first lesson to involve gargling salty bicarbonate of soda water and breathing instead of actual singing." The fee for the session was exchanged. 

"Next session we will be stretching the mouth into strange positions and making all kinds of strange sounds." Hubert chuckled as he pocketed the fee. This particular customer seemed to be enthusiastic, full of a flurry of life. " I shall see you again next week."

As he ventured into the street he was hit with a smack of fresh air. His hair was thrown into a scruffy lump atop his head. The first instinct was to slide his hands in his pockets to protect them from the chill. Head down, full speed ahead; he powered down the road, fighting against the weather which threatened to push him backwards. Relief from the battering of the air came when he turned into the park and was sheltered by the trees. The wind howled like a hungry wolf as it thrashed through the branches and made the trees bend into the amen position. 

From nowhere a hand reached out and dragged him into the mass of bushes and trees, off the beaten track into nature, which hadn't been manicured. Autumn gold shone against the wintry dullness, Ferdinand von Aegir latched onto his lips, nearly sucking them off. There was no greeting, just hungry hands grappling at clothing. Hubert was breathless as he was manhandled like an object, a toy to manipulate as desired. His trousers were down far enough to expose his skinny buttocks, but high enough to give the expression he was covered up. Thrust against a tree, Ferdinand held him there as he nipped at his earlobe. 

"I have been thinking about you, sweet bloody dreams." Ferdinand hissed in his ear with arousal colouring every word. "You were exquisite, soo exquisite I just had to find you for another sample." He purred in sweet little "mmms" as he dragged his fangs over his earlobe and down the side of his neck, slowly with just enough pressure to emboss his fangs but not break the skin. Hubert growled like a tiger in heat. His needy body twitched impatiently as he threw his head back for full neck exposure. 

"What a little hussy you are." Ferdinand chuckled at the eagerness on display. "You would let me do anything to you as long as I reward you with a fang fuck." What a tease the vampire was! His tongue toiled with skin, followed by little nips leaving bruises like they were footsteps. At the same time he hovered his hands in feathery brushes just over his cock; the distance where it was close enough to feel without actual contact. Hubert whimpered as he was denied, a pathetic pleading sound similar to a dog wanting a bone. 

Penetration was performed in simultaneous actions, a duel thrust of fang and cock deep inside. Hubert stared out at people passing by, normal people going about their everyday business oblivious to the scandal in the bushes. To keep their actions secret, Ferdinand had to gag Hubert with his hand. If he let Hubert howl then the whole neighbourhood would be alerted by their sexual siren. 

Gentle gyrations and twirls by Ferdinand's dancer's hips literally shattered Hubert's knees. They trembled and buckled with each slow burial, Ferdinand had to prop him up to stop him falling out of their hiding place. "You like a caring fuck, I can be gentle... tender... romantic even. I can feel your spine quake upon command and I can feel you lean into a sensual arch which threatens to crumble." Ferdinand coarsely whispered into his neck, painting his lips with the delicious blood he had spilled. "You want me to continue to suck as I fuck. You are flailing your neck around like a whore offering your blood to every vampire in town. Oh, there are a lot of us vampires around. We are like vermin, rats, you are always within several inches of a vampire's fangs." Ferdinand gnawed at his neck again, slurping with unashamed loudness. As the fangs were inserted Hubert rose in his arms, the intensity of bliss was burning him alive. 

Hubert's eyes were coated with a drunken gaze as he squirmed with the overwhelming ecstasy. Ferdinand fucked him like he loved him, softness and consideration in every motion. He could feel Hubert melt around in, cave in to every sensation that he skilfully applied. Caresses delicately administered to sensitive areas just added to the experience. Fingers traced the supple bony inner thigh, performed tantalising in little circles over the belly, tickled his pierced nipple and combed his hair. 

Hubert exploded like a firework display, as muscles relaxed and melted his limbs jerked in response. He had cum and sullied his belly but Ferdinand still did not release him until he had 'bred' successfully. Ferdinand then settled Hubert down onto his hands and knees as he admired his cum oozing over his rim. "Beautiful!" 

Hubert had only just managed to catch his breath when he noticed that Ferdinand had sorted out his appearance. There wasn't a single trace of the ravishment at all. He resembled a normal, handsome guy who had been doing normal things such as; going for a cup of tea or a walk in the park. Hubert was the opposite in every respect. He resembled someone who had just run a sexual marathon. 

"See you later Hubert." Ferdinand kissed the sweaty, wreck of a man on the cheek as he bid him farewell. Hubert was about to respond but he had vanished from sight before he could. He had been left to clean himself up and return to relative normality .


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little peek into the vampire side.

The sobering image of a church filled his eyeline as he approached by following the weaving trail of dust. Ancient graves were a silent audience observing his steady advance. With curious eyes he slimmed over the moss coated stone and the faded names of the deceased. Ferdinand recalled a few of the inhabitants of the soil, they were alive at a time when he drew breath. The memories were fond ones which embellished a smile upon his face. 

Back to the church, a sigh lingered upon his lips, a reminder of the sins he had committed in the name of lust. Over the course of 24 hours he had broken his vows by wielding his fangs upon human flesh. Hubert, he was drawn to him like a moth to a flame and how he loved to burn with him. He was burning still with the memory of the sex. A tinge of fire ignited his groin in front of a building with the purpose of delivering chastity to his kind. 

He slipped inside the confessional, the dark booth which filled him with guilt and dread. He seated himself in a tense hunched posture with hands desperately stroking through his hair for much needed comfort. His honeycomb eyes sank to the ground, unable to meet the gaze of stern emerald on the other side of the partition. 

"Oh Father, I am unclean!" A deep breath followed a dramatic pause. "A filthy despicable monster! I sullied a human with my vampiric seed." Once again he inhaled a placebo breath. To pause to breathe was necessary to stop all his words pouring out at once in an incoherent alphabet soup. "I gorged and penetrated without remorse. I am weak." He shook his head as silence filled the cramped space. 

Light seeped through the partition sections, on his skin it felt like lasers punishing him for his lapse into bloodlust. In that burning light his skin had an ethereal pearlescent gleam, almost angelic in appearance. He did resemble an angel with hair braided from sunbeams and eyes faceted from volcanic jewels. 

"Desire, it is like bacteria in the body. There are good bacteria and bad bacteria. It is essential to desire, it motivates and innovates. However desire can manifest into compulsive behaviour. It is this compulsive behaviour that neglects rationality as the desire dominates your thoughts." The voice was kind, a gentleness caressed the ears like cotton wool. "Self control is possible, even for a vampire. We are cursed and blessed with acute sensory perception. Humans will never understand our experience of the world, how everything penetrates our senses and tears them apart. Every hour we are awake we fight a battle with constant over stimulation. At times it is exhausting, frustrating and seemingly impossible. Sometimes we lapse into bloodlust. A vampire can learn to let sensory stimulation brush off him without it embedding itself in his mind and heart. The first step to building up a resistance to sensory stimulation is to understand why bloodlust is wrong and then to repent."

Ferdinand burst out laughing, a manic laugh from a remorseless blood junkie. "I should regret it, I know I should but it was just soo good." He flopped back in his seat, still laughing with a slight hiss drumming in the upper part of his mouth. "He made this sound and it just turned me on." When he thought of Hubert his conscience became a whisper and lust screamed in his icy veins. "Mmmmm, he was eager, needy, he wanted every inch of my fangs inside him." Ferdinand licked his fangs slowly as he remembered the delicacy he had guzzled from Hubert's veins. "After one drink I couldn't stop thinking about him. I wandered around for a bit in a daze. I don't remember my journey; all I recall is when morning came I followed his scent like a dog. Then I fucked him slowly, meaningful thrusts and loving bites. He caved in, crumbling to the pleasure I gave him."

A slam of his fist interrupted Ferdinand as he reveled in his sexual endeavours. "Control yourself, you are letting blood take over." At the sound he jumped and jolted, desperate fingertips clung to the gaps in the partition, obscuring the light.

"I loved it!!! Oh god did I love it. It was life within my corpse." Ferdinand pressed his lips up in the partition , a devious smile was printed by his hot breath. "I cannot stop imagining what I will do next. Flashes of sensuality haunt me, burn me, taunt me."

"I am disappointed in you Ferdinand, very disappointed. In life you were a respectable noble, a king both kind and sage. In death you a pauper feasting on scraps of morality. " He scolded Ferdinand with stern but controlled rage. Every word was a bullet fired straight for the heart. Ferdinand was wounded by the words. He should have been famous, a heroic king and a figure of legendary tales. When Cichol turned him into a vampire his entire human life was erased from the history books. There was no grave to mark his final rest. It was like he had never existed. 

"You scar me Master!" Ferdinand hissed between gritted fangs. "You mock me with talk of the life you stole. I am no longer that Ferdinand. As a little suckling vampire I was at your mercy and you took me and moulded me into the barbaric beast here today."

A hand smashed through the partition and clouted him on the back of the head, hard enough to knock him from his seat. "Nonsense, I was always benevolent. I am still benevolent. For your shameless gluttony I should lock you in a cell for 40 days and nights until the blood is out of your system. That would be cruel. Instead we will start a pledge. From today you will go dry."

Ferdinand used the side of the partition to climb to his feet before he rubbed his sore head. "Master, I wouldn't call busting the partition and smacking me acts of benevolence. They are the behaviour of a madman."

Cichol scoffed at the retaliation. "I am not a man. Such behaviour is kind for a vampire. You know what horrors we are capable of! When the goddess created us, we were made in Her image. The vampire is made of Her rage, Her spite, Her indifferent and Her cruelty. We are the spittal of her distaste upon the soil of humanity's grave."

Ferdinand bowed his head, a submissive gesture towards his Master. "And Her lust and Her desire. It is no wonder why we are drawn to pleasure. I will start a new pledge to be dry. I will find the coldest water and bathe myself in it. However it will not be easy. Hubert is engraved into the fabric of my groin."

Cichol caressed the honeyed hair of his subject. "All I ask is that you try. I wouldn't share my crest with someone I did not believe in."


	5. Chapter 5

"Hubert, are you alright in there? " Leonie tapped upon the toilet room door after hearing concerning grunts within. 

"Yeesss." Hubert's response only caused more concern. He spoke in a voice similar to someone desperate for a piss. 

"Are you sure?" Her brow raised as she witnessed one over the knee leather boot clad leg slide beneath the door and back within the cubicle again. "What in hell are you doing in there? " Next Hubert's lily white buttocks peeped out of the gap between floor and door.

"What the fuck are you doing? It is not normal to see various body parts stick out of a toilet cubicle." Next body part to be revealed was Hubert and his puffy, sweaty face. "Oh god, do you need a doctor?"

Hubert tried to catch his breath which he had stifled trying to fasten up a corset waist clincher belt. "I think I have put on a few pounds. My ass keeps bursting out of my trousers and my corset is suffocating me."

Leonie sighed at the stubborn bull of a man. Hubert was always reluctant to ask for assistance. "Let me come in and help you before you do yourself any serious damage." 

Hubert mumbled a protest as he attempted to wriggle back inside the cubicle. 

"You know you haven't got anything I haven't seen before." Leonie worked in the radiography unit at the hospital . She could write several volumes about some of the extraordinary things she had seen. "I am not going to publish your cock on the evening news."

There was no response, just more mumbling accompanied with banging and the sound of unwinding toilet roll. All of Leonie's instincts told her to violate the sanctity of the cubicle and aid her friend. It was clear he was struggling but was far too stubborn to admit it. "Hubert, stand aside! I am coming in." She waited again, allowing him an opportunity to protest. 

"No need!" Hubert squealed before further thuds were heard. To an outsider it would have sounded like he was smashing up the confined space. Leonie prepared herself, a bounce of the knees predated her spring to the top of the cubicle where she witnessed absolute chaos.

"Oh Hubert, you are an idiot." She tried not to laugh at the situation but she simply could not control herself. He was coiled up like a snail on the side of the floor with his skin tight wet look leggings stuck halfway up his thigh. His sickly skinny ass, thin wormy cock and stretched chewing gum thighs were on full display. Not only was he trapped in the bottom half garments, he had attempted to put a little waist clincher corset over his head and his arms had become lodged within. 

"What on earth were you thinking?" She threw her leg over the top and carefully jumped down. After a few agile manoeuvres she managed to create space in which to knee. With a surprising mix of strength and gentleness she angled Hubert's head into empty space. The last thing she wanted was for him to hit his head.

"I wasn't thinking. I can't think!" Hubert spoke with a cringe of despair as he felt the acute precision of Leonie's fingers unfasten his waist clincher. A deep sigh escaped his lips, an admission of vulnerability he wouldn't share with anyone but a trusted friend. "Ever since I met this beautiful man I have failed to think of anything else. His hair was the golden sun, his eyes were made of the sweetest honeycomb and his flesh was freshly whipped cream. It was an earthquake moment, a moment where I started to understand love songs on the radio and take the time to inhale floral displays."

Once he was freed from the corset, Leonie tugged off each boot and delicately unravelled the rolled up leggings down his legs. "The symptoms of love, don't worry I won't tell anyone about your serious condition. So when and where did you meet Mr Beautiful?" 

Hubert assisted the removal of his leggings by slowly bringing his knees towards his chest. "At Edelgard's New Year's Eve bash, I was in the process of escaping when he fraughted my plans. He literally ambushed me in my car. I won't go into the intimate details but let me just say that we had a lot of fun in my car that night."

"You hussy!" Leonie teased, genuinely happy for her friend. "So when are you seeing him again?" Finally Hubert was bound in clothing no longer. He was naked as he extended his lanky limbs. Leonie assisted by massaging his joints with her thumbs to ease the tension within. 

"I don't know. I have met him since then. We fucked in the park. He found me and we fucked in the park." Hubert had to repeat himself, he was still suffering from disbelief, amazing, sexy men weren't attracted to gargoyles like him, everything wasn't flowing with the normal tide of things. 

"You fucked in the park?" Leonie was surprised by the public display, normally Hubert was a private man. " You! You, Hubert von Vestra fucked in the park?" 

"I did not summon an audience or roll around in the grass! It was discrete, the kind of sexual activity where the risk of being caught adds to the thrill." Hubert clarified before Leonie wrapped the corset around his middle and started to lace the intricate ribbon. 

"Breathe in, your corset needs to be tight but not too tight. You need to breathe in order to sing." Leonie instructed as she helped him into his attire. "Right, that is done! You had better go and put your 'lipstick into your purse', then I will help you with your boots. So you don't feel that the help is one sided, you can zip up the back of my new neon, glow in the dark orange pvc catsuit. It is tricky to reach down far enough."

After Hubert and Leonie had dressed themselves they waited for the final two members of their group to arrive with the cosmetics and transportation. Leonie prepared some lemon tea, part of Hubert's preparation for his vocal chords.

"Have you tried befriending Mr Beautiful on Facebook or following him on Twitter or Instagram?" Leonie asked as she handed him a chunky mug. 

"Yes, I couldn't find him. He either has everything private or he is not on social media, which I find hard to believe." Hubert sipped the warm liquid, his vocals seemed to purr as it oozed down his throat. 

"Not everyone is glued to screens. There are some people that loathe selfies more than you do." Leonie glanced out the window upon hearing the gentle grunt of an engine drawing to a halt, their friends had arrived. 

"Not possible! I want to make posting more than one selfie a week a criminal offence. No, scrap that, make everyone use their passport photo. Adding puppy dog ears or cat noses and other dumb shit should result in a public execution." Hubert's maniacal plans were interrupted by a knock on the door. The pause was momentarily as en route he continued to rant. "If you airbrush your picture you should have your head sliced off. If you are ugly then own it; the ugly shall inherit the world." He opened the door and ushered Emile and Mercedes within. Emile assisted his sister in carrying a family suitcase size cosmetics case. 

" It is soo good to see you Hubert, you are looking well. " Once the suitcase had been set down she gave him an all consuming embrace. Hubert stood limply as he tolerated the physical contact. "Oh sorry, I keep forgetting that you are not the affectionate type. I get carried away with my excitement."

Hubert smiled and transformed his voice into a welcoming smooth cappuccino. "It is fine. I do not mind, I will stand there and let you mummify me."

They were interrupted by Emile ignoring common pleasantries and raiding the refrigerator . "Do you have ice cream?"

"Emile, where are your manners?" Mercedes gently scolded him. 

"Hello, do you have ice cream?" Emile frowned as he browsed through a selection of foodstuffs which he considered disgusting. 

"Yes, in the compartment second from bottom." Hubert was not bothered by the lack of a traditional greeting. He liked Emile's blunt and practical approach. Why waste time with manners when he could be eating ice cream? Hubert respected that logic.

Emile was disappointed by the ice cream flavour. Dark chocolate ice cream!!! Who ate dark chocolate ice cream? "You have bad ice cream. Next time have some strawberry ice cream. I am going to McDonald's to get a McFlurry. Bye." Just as abruptly as he entered, Emile disappeared to fetch his treat. 

"I probably had the only flavour of ice cream Emile despises." Hubert chuckled before his face was attacked by an onslaught of iridescent face powder. 

"Keep still, I want the lace design to be perfect this time. Last time my hand slipped and it looked a mess." Mercedes hummed pleasant tunes as he started the make over. Hubert wasn't normally the type to peer down a lady's top but the low cut of her neckline made it impossible not to peep, it was like a giant valley. 

"I expected him to find delights like 'mushed people' ice cream or 'vanilla and eyeballs.' Leonie joked as she cleaned up the refrigerator after Emile's ransacking. 

"Don't give Hubert business ideas. He might leave the band to start selling 'Hubert's Horrific Ice Cream'; the ice cream that chills you to the bone." Mercedes beamed a smile, a slither of sunlight in Hubert's gloom. 

"OMG! Merc, you have just come up with the tagline." Leonie laughed wholeheartedly , a hand rested upon her belly as it wobbled with merriment. 

"Ggrrr, chatspeak, that is another thing that needs outlawing." Hubert struggled to speak as Mercedes' squished his face to form a pout to apply black lipstick.

"Hubert is leaving the band to make ice cream and become a dictator." Leonie teased as they two girls squealed with their laugher. 

"The dictatorship that will kill you to the bone." Mercedes chirped as she started to create dark frames around the eyes. When Hubert was finished she moved into Leonie, applying liberal amounts of powder before drawing the lace design like an eye mask. 

"In my dictatorship you will both be blended into my 'mushed people' ice cream." Hubert's twinkled as he gave a pantomime villain delivery. "What is taking Emile so long?"

Mercedes' shrugged as he started to paint on Leonie's lipstick. "He is probably stocking up on snacks. Don't worry, he is aware of the time we need to head over to the art centre for our performance."

Hubert nodded, satisfied with the response. "Is the Death Knight helmet in the truck then?" 

"Oh yes, he will be the Death Knight persona on stage. I think it helps him cope with the pressure of live performance and the noise. He has never been fond of loud things. Some people probably think it is a gimmick. I don't think Emile cares what they think." Mercedes and Leonie started to lace Hubert's over the knee boots. He positioned himself to assist the arduous job. 

Half an hour later; the quartet were seated in Mercedes' truck listening to Sportstalk radio. Emile was in the back with Leonie sharing a bag of popcorn. Mercedes drove while Hubert's eyes lingered over the various pedestrians and shop fronts. It wasn't long until they arrived at their intimate venue. During the day it was home to an art gallery, coffee shop and poetry slams, and at night it was a place where non-mainstream alternative music was performed.


End file.
